Subject: [HP3000-L] Scrollabe Picklist Proposal
Author:  M Gopalakrishnan <[log in to unmask]> at ~INTERNET
Date:    5/14/97 2:09 PM



   Scrollable Picklist in VPLUS [Enhancement proposal]
   Dated: 2 May 1997
   [* This is only a proposal and it is subject to change *]

<rest snipped>



I hope that I'm interpreting this incorrectly (and please straighten me
out if I am) but does this proposal state that all values displayed on
any pick list on the system are retrieved from a single file in
PUB.SYS?  This doesn't seem very flexible to me, unless you only plan
to have a single pick list per machine.  Why not pass an array or even
a string which will be parsed by the intrinsic based on the numcols
parameter?  If the string gets too large for long lists, why not pass a
file name, thus avoiding having to make a separate intrinsic call to
issue a file equation for HPPOPUP.PUB.SYS?  Am I missing some obvious
reason behind the proposal that would make my suggestions impractical?
Please help me on this one!

Also:

-> Could the picklist just be another field type (CHAR, NUM, DIG, PICK)
instead of a separate intrinsic call?  numrows, numcols etc. could be
specified in the Processing Specifications section.  List values could
be hardcoded here or could be passed as a parameter to VSHOWFORM.  This
seems more flexible and easier to code.

-> How will the intrinsic operate?  Will it be called as a setup
function before VREADFIELDS and be transparent to the programmer or
will the programmer have to trap for it after VREADFIELDS?

-> Could the operator find a list entry by typing in the first few
characters (lookup)?

-> Would the operator be able to type in text not found on the list?

-> Would the picklist function keys wipe out the existing function key
values or
would they restore previous values on exit?  Are there any other VPLUS
intrinsics that alter the function keys (aside from the FKEYs)?

It seems that there is room for simplification of the programmers
interface, and
a few open questions about how the process will function.


Lee Gunter     (for Dave Demaree)
Regence HMO Oregon